Jig for welding structural shapes



July 4, 1944.

A. E. DlTTRlCH 2,352,697

JIG FOR WELDING STRUCTURAL SHAPES Filed.Aug. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ALEX E.D|TTRI CH ATTORNEY y 4, 9 A. E. DITTRICH 2,352,697

JIG' FOR WELDING STRUCTURAL SHAPES Filed Aug. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALEX EDITTRICH ATTO RN EY Patented July 4, 1944 JIG FOR WELDING STRUCTURAL SHAPES Alex Edward Dittrich, Maywood, N. 1., assignor to The Linde Air Products Company, a corporation of Ohio Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,263

11 Claims.

plates are first arranged in the proper angular relation to each other and temporarily united by a series of tack welds. Due to the lack of suitable aligning apparatus or jigs, considerable difliculty has been experienced hitherto in properly aligning the component elements of such fabricated structural members.

After the parts of the structural members have been temporarily united by tack welds, they are permanently united by one or more seam or fillet welds. During the seam welding operation, considerable distortion of the component parts of the structural member may occur due to uneven heating. labor are necessary to properly position the temporarily tack welded members for the seam welding operations. These several factors have mitigated somewhat the advantages inherent in fabstructural members in position for seam welding and in operative relation to a welding head and adapted to permit ready repositioning of the members for successive welds; to provide means engaging portions of structural members to restrain or prevent distortion during welding; and to provide a simple, economical and efiicient welding jig and brace.

These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of apparatus constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, with a carriage and welding device omitted;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a brace, forming part of the invention, as applied in position on a fabricated structural member;

Furthermore, considerable time and Fig. 4 is an end View of the brace and structural member shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an end View of a jig for aligning structural shapes for tack welding and incorporating the brace of Figs. 3 and 4.

Generally speaking, the welding apparatus of the invention includes means for aligning flat plates for tack welding to form a structural member; means for supporting one or more fabricated structural members in position for seam welding; means engaging portions of such members to restrain or prevent distortion during the seam welding operations; and means for traversing a welding head, or other weld forming device along such structural members to permanently weld unite the parts of such members.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of Jigs or supports J arranged in longitudinally spaced, parallel relation to receive and support one or more fabricated structural members S, S. Extending longitudinally of the series of jigs or supports J, and supported on and secured to the elevated central portions thereof, is a track T on and along which is propelled a suitable motive device or traversing means such as an electrically driven carriage C. The carriage C may carry one Or more suitable welding devices, such as automatic electric welding heads D feeding an electrode E toward the seam to be welded and supplying electric current to the seam for the welding operation. Any other suitable welding device may be used, such as, for instance,,one or more welding blowpipes. A preferred form of welding device is the automatic electric welding head described and claimed in Baird et al., Patent No. 2,182,575. For the sake of simplicity, the welding device D and electrode E have been illustrated somewhat diagrammati cally in the drawings.

The jigs J may consist of heavy steel plates. having the opposite ends thereof provided with recesses ill, each having an inclined supporting surface ill for engagement with a flange H of one of the structural members S, S, and near their ends It, the jigs are formed with other inclined supporting surfaces l8 adapted to engage the webs 20 of the members S. It will be noted that surfaces l2 and I8 are perpendicular to each other to support flanges ll and webs 20 in their proper relative positions.

Due to the relative location of the recesses It at a substantial distance from track T, it will be readily apparent that, when one weld or series of welds have been made in the members S, these members may be readily lifted from the recesses and repositioned for further welding operations without interference with track T. The members S may be repositioned in the same recesses or may be transposed. By mounting an appropriate number of welding devices on the carriage C, both members S may be welded, on one side, in a single traverse of carriage C along track T. The members S may then be lifted from recesses II and repositioned with the reverse side in operative relation to the welding devices. The seams in such reverse sides may then be welded in a single traverse of carriage C along track T in the reverse direction. The series of longitudinally spaced jigs or supports J, with the surfaces 02 and I3 formed thereon, assure adequate support of members S throughout their length. This factor prevents distortion and misalignment of the members S during the fillet or seam welding operations.

To prevent distortion of the members S, S during the seam or fillet welding operations, a series of rigid steel braces B (Figs. 3 and 4) are secured at substantially equal, longitudinally spaced intervals to the lower flange l4 and upper flange 22 of each member S, and between the jigs or supports J. Each brace B is generally C-shaped longitudinally, and includes a central or bight portion 24, of considerable depth, adapted to be spaced from a plate to which the brace is attached. The brace decreases in depth from its central portion toward each end where it terminates in hook .portions 26, which are integral with the central portion 24 and are adapted to engage beneath the edges of the plate to which the brace is attached. I

It should be noted that as shown in the drawings the hook portions 28 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to leave a clear space on each side of the web 20 for adequate access of a welding device to the corner between the web 20 and the flange plate 22 where the longitudinal welding operation is to be performed. Accordingly, the hook portions 26 are spaced apart a distance greater than their spacing from the bight portion 24, or greater than the depth of the bight portion 2!. The top of the hook portions 28 is preferalfl parallel to the flange plate 22, for bearing purposes. The bight portion 24, the end portions depending therefrom, and the hook portions 25 extending inwardly from the depending end portions are preferably all of the same thickness.

In forming a fabricated structural member, the parts first are arranged and supported in the aligning jig shown in Fig. 5. This jig comprises a pair of the braces B secured together by suitable means, such as struts or straps 28. The straps 2| may be pivotally secured to one brace, as by bolts II, and adjustably secured to the other brace by clamping bolts 22 engaging slots 24 in the ends of the straps.

The bolts 32 are disengaged from straps 28 and the required number of upper and lower braces B are slid onto the flanges of the member S, with the hook portions 26 engaging beneath the edges of the flanges and the braces spaced substantially equal distances apart along the member S. Pressure exerting means, such as wedges W are then driven between the bight portion of each brace and the associated flange to force the integral end portions into direct tight engagement with the opposite side of the flange. When this has been done, the web 20 is properly centered on the flanges and the bolts 22 engaged in slots ll of straps 2|. By suitable adjustment of the bolts 22 in the slots, the flanges and web are aligned in their proper relation. The flanges l4 and 22 of the member S are then preliminarily united to the web 20 thereof by a series of tack welds F spaced apart substantially equal distances along the member S.

After the tack welding operation, additional braces B and wedges W are secured at substantially equal longitudinally spaced intervals to each flange in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3. One or more of the members S are then placed on the jigs J with flanges I4 and 22 in engagement with surfaces l2 and fl, respectively. The electrically-propelled carriage C carrying one or more welding devices D traverses the track '1, and the welding devices thereon form a series of fillet welds between flanges I4 and 22 and web 2|, permanently uniting web 2. to flanges fl and 22. When the welds on one side of the members 8 have been completed, the members are repositioned on the jigs J and the welds in the opposite sides thereof made in the same manner.

During the welding, the braces B rigidly re strain the flanges I4 and 22 against distortion due to the progressive heating of the member 8. The use of the wedge W in engagement with the deep bight portion 24 of each brace enables great pressure to be applied to the flanges to restrain distortion.

It will be obvious that the jig J is readily adapted to supporting other structural shapes than that shown, such as channels, T-beams, etc., and that the brace B and the aligning device of Fig. 5 may be used in forming other structural mem bers having flange portions.

The described apparatus is simple in construction and effective to increase the handling speed, and hence reduce the overall time needed, in fabricating structural members.

while specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that this has been done only to illustrate the principles of the invention and that the same may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for aligning flat plates to form a flanged structural shape comprising, in combination, a pair of braces each adapted to engage one flange of such structural shape; a wedge operatively disposed between each brace and its associated flange; and adjustable means interconnecting said braces to align said flanges in engagement with the web of such structural shape.

2. Apparatus for fabricating structural members comprising a jig formed with a pair of recesses; and perpendicularly related supporting surfaces adjacent each recess; each of said recesses being adapted to receive a flange of one of such members supported on one of said supporting surfaces, with the web of one of such members being supported on the other of said supporting surfaces in perpendicular relation to such flange.

3. Apparatus for fabricating structural members comprising, in combination, a plurality of jigs arranged at longitudinally spaced intervals, each of said jigs being formed with supporting surfaces to engage and support a structural member; and a track mounted on and intercom necting said jigs.

4. Apparatus for fabricating structural mombers comprising, in combination, a plurality of Ill her; and s track mcuiited (mead secured to said jigs, said track extending alcueside 0i and laterally spaced flGi'E. such series cisupperting sur faces.

c. Aepemtes ice fabricating structural meyrl bets comprising, in combination, a series 01" jigs arranged at longitudinally spaced intewals. each cf said losing formed with spaced supporting surfaces to engage and support a pair of structural members; and a track mounted on and seto said jigs, said track extending between series 017 suspecting surfaces and being spececl laterally therefrom.

"4. Apparatus icr fabricating structural mam ccmprislscg, in combination, a plurality jigs emenged at longitudinally spaced intei'vals, eacli cf said jigs being termed witi suppezrtiiig end portions tlieieei te engage and supguctt e. structural member; and a tract: mediated 02s elevated central interccnziectine; said jigs,

.ilppeeatus for the flanges ci fabricated structural member in predetermined relaticm te the web thereci during iabiicaticii e32 sucil icy Welding ccmptlsiieg, in ccmlsi nation, en upper brace adapted to be i'icidlv se= c ed to one flange cf said member; a letter biEiCS ts be rieii'ily secuced to ether said member; and a pair of straps pivctallv is said upper brace and adjustabiv and. detachablv secured to said lower brace, whereby said may be adjusted to retained in predeteimuied relation tc said web during the welding cessation,

9. abricating apparatus comprising, in com biiuetiozi, for aligning fiat plates weldice tc :Zcrm a structural shape; a plurality ct lciv spaced jigs each farmed with faces tc engage certain of said plates tc suppct't such shape during weld uniting of said plates; braces engaging certain cf said plates to restrain distortion thereof duirmg welding; "i cured is and extending tlireughcut sw traversing means movalele tveldiulz device meet mews,

aveic L. ti

. having end esaeec ill. l "alai'icc-,tin@ epperatusccmerising, in ccmbinaticn, means 201* alieeiil flat plates to? velding web plate to gal-ate tc isms beam; e plurality of longitudiueallv spaced jigs each formed with smfacee tc certais c1 said plates tc'suppcrt such shape weld muting cf plates; braces engaging certain cf scald plates te restrain disteiticn oi the flange ct" said beam timing welding While electing the longitudinal path of said welding device along the COllZli' between said plates, each being rigid and having a eight pcrtiou spaced frem the side 02 the slate eiil is mounted, each brace heaving end sections rigid with eight pcstien and flange plate and extending lziwa'sd thereunder farming l'lGOkS engaging the side cf said flange plate; and pvcssure exerting means acting upcn each lore-cc he flange plate t0 force said hooks into direct pressure engagement with. the underside of, said fiance plate, said hecis being spaced apart a distauce sutficient to leave a clear: space en each side c2 web for access tc the i tudiual seam tc lie Welded; a tract; secured te extending thicughcut such series of jigs; traversing means mevalcle elem; said tracts; a Welding device mediated on said ti'avecsine' means.

fem-led with surfaces weld uniting ci said plates; braces engaging cei'taiu 'ci said f: es e 'raln distcitic cf the cf l2 '1 vvelrc lisgsai it each sieving a sight pcrtic'zl c1 greater depth hail tlii less, said eight per cm lie ce trcl ge ici'l each bificfi is irceucted, each brrace DO'ftlEBDS integral with said sight per-=- ticn and depending below the said flange plate iii'tvaicii hectic engaging the cppcsite side of said flange e Wedge ell the 1m detside oi the CElil'ZYal portion of each brace and the side cf said flange plate ts ici-ce said hooks intc direct pressure engagement with the w ci said, piste, being spaced emit a distance suiiicieiit to leave a elem" space en each side cf Welt tfci' access te the same when being welded; e, track secured tc end extending: throughout each series 0f jigs;

trsversine; means mcvalile along; said tracts; end

welding device resumed cit iiiealus, 

